'Julia, the time has come. You must contain the knowledge that you have lacked for all your life. You are not human, Julia. You are only one quarter to a half, and a half to a whole. Figure it out. Kayden has waited far too long. He will pay the price. You are now in great danger. I cannot do anything more to help you. You must not tell anyone of me contacting you. Sincerely,-'

I opened my eyes and sat up. That was a weird dream. Really weird. But I have a weird feeling that Kayden is hiding something from me. Something really big. And I also have a feeling something bad is going to happen.

I heard voices coming from right across the river and I sprinted out of bed to turn off the music that was still playing.

The digital clock on the boom box read eight thirty seven pm. I slept for ten hours. I never sleep for that long. Ever. I'm a morning person, I'm always up early, even when I don't get a lot of sleep.

The voices got louder, meaning they had crossed the river. I was scared and started to panic. What if they find my cave? Or even worse, what if they find me?

I ran to the bulletin board, slid it open as fast as I could, and slipped inside before sliding it closed.

I pressed my ear up against the board hoping to eavesdrop on whoever was here.

I heard the splashing noise of water and footsteps. They were inside my cave!

"She seems to have fled." A deep raspy female voice says. "The trail ends here." The voice continued. "We shall inform Huntress Leah of our findings, and we shall bring her here to look for herself." The voice ordered.

There were a few voices that responded "yes ma'am" before I heard a splash of water, meaning they were gone.

Great. Just great. Now I don't have a safe haven anymore. Where am I supposed to hide now? The attic? The basement? I'll figure it out later.

I slid the board over slowly and peaked my head out to make sure that the people were gone. After confirming they were all gone, I slid the board open all the way, stepped out and slid it shut.

I walked to my bed and kneeled down to open the drawers. I grabbed a blue undershirt and black spandex shorts.

I quickly pulled off my sweatshirt and sweatpants then pulled on the undershirt and shorts.

I folded the sweatshirt and sweatpants then put them back in the drawer furthest to the left.

Okay now what? I'll have to go around the waterfall instead of through it this time. Otherwise Kayden and Nika might be suspicious of me being soaking wet.

I quickly shuffled to the left corner of the waterfall where there was a small gap, wide enough for one person to fit through. I usually don't use this entrance, but I use it when I have too.

I took a deep breath before I stepped out once more into the cold air. I ran my hand through my hair, and sprinted toward the river at full speed.

I waited until the very last second before leaping into the air.

Once more, time slowed, the wind blew through my hair, and I could feel the cold air on my face.

And once again, time sped back up, just before my feet hit the freezing cold, rock hard ground.

I continued to sprint, but had to stop after awhile because it got hard to breath, and I got really tired.

Weird, considering that I had sprinted the whole way last time, and never had to stop once. Except for when I took my sweatpants, leggings, and boots off.

I started fast walking, and eventually found my boots. I happily slipped them on, and continued the rest of the way home, trying to keep a fast pace.

Before I knew it, I was standing at the front door of my house fully clothed and freezing cold.

I raised my hand and knocked three times on the door. At first there was silence, but then I could here footsteps on the opposite side of the door.

I heard quiet sobs as I stood in silence waiting to be let inside. "Who is it?" Aunt Nika called from behind the door. I guess she's the one sobbing.

"It's Julia." I answered and the door swung open so fast, I barely registered Nika throwing her arms around my neck.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" She scolded. "I thought they took you... I thought you were gone forever!" She cried.

Who is they? Why would she think someone took me? I've done this before and she has never freaked out.

"Aunt Nika I'm fine!" I consoled her. "Look, I'm in one piece!" I joked. "No one took me, otherwise I wouldn't be here now would I?"

"I guess you're right." She admitted. "But you need to come with me, right now!" She said seriously. "Something happened to Kayden...and I'm not allowed to explain, so he'll have to tell you himself."

"What?" I said, clearly confused. What happened to Kayden that Nika can't tell me? We're all family, it's not like I'm a random stranger wanting to know their secrets.

"Just hurry." Nika orders.

I closed the door behind me as I walked inside, and I immediately felt warm and cozy again. Except for the fact that my brother wasn't okay.

I followed Nika down the hallway and into the living room where Kayden was laying on the couch asleep. He had a dark blue blanket pulled all the way up to his neck, his face was a light shade of red, his face and hair drenched in sweat.

I dashed to his side and put the back of my hand to his forehead. "Ow! What the hell!" I yelled and pulled my hand back fast. I looked down to see a burn starting to form on my hand from the heat.

"He's been like this ever since you left." Nika informed me as she walked in with a small ice pack. "Here." She said and handed me the ice pack.

"Thanks." I muttered. Wait, how did she get an ice pack so fast? The kitchen is like, thirty feet behind us.

Actually, I don't care. Kayden is a lot more important right now. I take the ice pack from out of Nika's hand and place it on Kayden's forehead.

"The ice pack was for you, sweetie." Nika said sweetly.

"I know, but Kayden needs it more than I do. He's burning up, literally. How high of a temperature does he have?" I asked.

Is got to be pretty high to have burned my hand, so I'm kind of worried. Why couldn't Nika just take him to the hospital?

"Last time I checked, around three hundred fifty degrees."
Nika said with no shocked expression at all.

"Three hundred fifty degrees?" I shrieked. How in the world is a human being supposed to get a temperature of three hundred fifty?

All of the sudden Kayden began shaking, tossing, turning, and mumbling random nonsense. Then he sat of and looked me straight in the eye.

I stared, gaping at him. His eyes had turned blood red, and they were bloodshot. No where close to the emerald green color they used to be.

I continued to sit there and stare at Kayden, waiting for him to make the first move.

I jumped back about five feet from where I was originally sitting because Kayden let out a dreadful ear-pricing scream. There was only teo words said before Kayden fell back down onto the couch, motionless.

"She's clueless."